No rise in coronavirus cases in Borders overnight for second day in a row

No further cases of coronavirus have been confirmed for the second day running in the Borders, and the total for the region remains at 284.
Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon warning today that the current lockdown looks set to continue for weeks longer.Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon warning today that the current lockdown looks set to continue for weeks longer.
Scottish Government first minister Nicola Sturgeon warning today that the current lockdown looks set to continue for weeks longer.

That’s the third time in six days that there’s been no increase in cases overnight, and it’s the first time since mid-March that two days have gone by without new diagnoses being announced.

The 284 cases diagnosed here are among 12,437 nationwide, up from 12,266 yesterday, May 4.

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Across the UK, 190,584 people have tested positive for coronavirus, up 3,985 on the day before.

It’s well over a month now since the first two cases of the disease were confirmed in the Borders on Wednesday, March 11, and over two months since Scotland’s first case, in Tayside, was announced on Sunday, March 1, after spreading across the world from Wuhan in China.

That figure rose to three on Friday, March 13; five on Saturday, March 14; seven on Sunday, March 15; eight the following Thursday, March 19; nine on Friday, March 20; 10 on Saturday, March 21; 11 on Sunday, March 22; 12 on Monday, March 23; 15 on Wednesday, March 25; 23 on Thursday, March 26; 28 on Friday, March 27; 35 on Saturday, March 28; 50 on Sunday, March 29; 63 on Monday, March 30; 77 on Tuesday, March 31; 87 on Wednesday, April 1; 93 on Thursday, April 2; 100 on Friday, April 3; 110 on Saturday, April 4; 130 on Sunday, April 5; 139 on Monday, April 6; 149 on Tuesday, April 7; 160 on Wednesday, April 8; 167 on Thursday, April 9; 177 on Friday, April 10; 189 on Saturday, April 11; 199 on Sunday, April 12; 204 on Monday, April 13; 208 on Tuesday, April 14; 215 on Wednesday, April 15; 220 on Thursday, April 16; 229 on Friday, April 17; 231 on Saturday, April 18; 237 on Sunday, April 19; 239 on Monday, April 20; 240 on Tuesday, April 21; 243 on Wednesday, April 22; 248 on Thursday, April 23; 253 on Friday, April 24; 258 on Saturday, April 25; 259 on Sunday, April 26; 269 on Monday, April 27; 272 on Tuesday, April 28; 279 on Wednesday, April 29; 281 on Friday; 283 on Saturday; and 284 on Sunday.

There’s been no increase in the number of deaths claimed by the disease in the region for five days, and it remains at 31.

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It’s now been over a month since the first five fatalities here attributable to the virus, also known as Covid-19 were announced on Monday, March 30.

That figure rose to seven the day after, March 31; eight on Wednesday, April 1; 11 on Thursday, April 2; 14 on Friday, April 3; 16 on Sunday, April 5; 17 on Monday, April 6; 19 on Tuesday, April 7; 20 on Friday, April 10; 22 on Saturday, April 11; 23 on Sunday, April 12; 26 on Monday, April 13; 27 on Thursday, April 23; 28 on Friday, April 24; 29 on Monday, April 27; 30 on Wednesday, April 29; and 31 on Thursday, April 30.

They are among 1,620 coronavirus patients killed by the disease in Scotland so far, up 44 from 1,576 overnight, and 28,734 UK-wide, a rise of 288 on the day before.

The number of cases of Covid-19 in the Borders remains higher than in one of its neighbouring health board areas, Dumfries and Galloway’s total being 254, but is still well below the two others, Lanarkshire and Lothian being up to 1,520 and 2,149 respectively.

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Altogether, 104 Scots are in intensive care receiving treatment for coronavirus, with 91 having tested positive and the others awaiting results.

Some 63,311 tests for the illness have been carried out in Scotland so far, with 50,874 returning negative results.

Giving an update today, Scottish Government minister Nicola Sturgeon repeated her previous warnings not to expect a speedy end to the current lockdown, explaining: “By Thursday this week, we have to formally assess whether any lockdown restrictions should be lifted at this stage.

“It is highly unlikely that the Scottish Government will be able to make any significant changes to the current restrictions on Thursday.

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“We are seeing progress – real progress, particularly in the number of people admitted to intensive care – but that progress is still fragile.

“That means any increase in the physical interactions we have with other people could quickly see transmission of the virus increase again.

“We estimate that there are currently around 26,000 people with Covid-19 in Scotland. I stress these are estimates, but that is still too high a number to consider that the virus is under control.

“The hard fact is that we must see further reductions in new cases, hospital and intensive care unit admissions and deaths to be sure that the overall level of infection is lower than it is now, and that means, for the moment, we do need to stick with the current lockdown restrictions.

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“However, I am acutely aware that the severity of restrictions we are living under now cannot continue indefinitely.

“We know that lockdown is doing its own damage, so we also need to be preparing to make changes as soon as it is safe to do so.

“The next three-week period of lockdown, after this Thursday, is due to end on May 28.

“That doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t make any changes before then if the evidence suggests it is safe to do so. If we can, we will.

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“I’m particularly keen as soon as possible, for the sake of mental health and wellbeing, to enable people to be outdoors more, and obviously we are all keen to get the economy moving again as soon as we can.

“This is going to be a long process with different phases along the way, and we will only implement these changes when we are as certain as possible that it is safe to do so, and when we can also assure you of that.

“In the meantime, it is vital that we stick rigorously to the current rules.

“None of these decisions are easy. There are no absolute certainties in any of this, and complex judgements will have to be made.

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“As I’ve said before, lifting the lockdown will not be like flicking a switch.

“It will be a gradual process which will happen in phases.

“What we are seeking to do is find a path to a new normal – one which is less restrictive than the current lockdown but which doesn’t risk the virus running rampant again.

“As soon as we can start to attach even tentative dates, we will do that.

“Right now, we are going in the right direction. If all of us keep doing all of the right things, we will keep going in the right direction and we will get there.

“Our light at the end of the tunnel that I keep talking about will get brighter as the days go on. and we will find a way through.”